Elevate Series Workshop Understanding Your State to Support Performance
On Friday 27th February, our senior students (age 12+) took part in the latest session of our Elevate Series - our year-long programme dedicated to supporting the health and wellbeing of our dancers.
We were delighted to welcome Kirsteen from Activate OT, who delivered an insightful and highly practical workshop focused on self-regulation, sensory awareness and understanding individual performance states.
Kirsteen from Activate OT
Starting the discussion on sensory ladders
Understanding Performance States
Students were introduced to the concept of “sensory ladders”, exploring how different states show up physically and emotionally. What does calm and ready feel like? What does overwhelm look like in the body? How can we recognise when we need to energise ourselves - or bring ourselves back down?
The session encouraged thoughtful reflection and open discussion, giving students language and tools to better understand themselves both in the studio and beyond.
Practical Strategies in Action
The practical element of the workshop was a clear highlight. Through a series of engaging activities, students experimented with strategies to either regulate or boost their energy.
The scooter board quickly became a favourite - combining movement and coordination in a way that was both enjoyable and effective. The small blow pipes were also met with great enthusiasm, with many students finding them particularly helpful in stabilising and controlling their breathing.
Importantly, students discovered that regulation looks different for everyone. Each individual had the opportunity to identify strategies that genuinely worked for them.
A Core Part of Our Elevate Series
The Elevate Series reflects our commitment to developing not only strong dancers, but resilient, self-aware young people. Technical training is essential - but so too is understanding how to manage nerves, focus attention and support emotional wellbeing.
This workshop was a meaningful step within our ongoing programme, equipping students with practical tools they can draw upon in rehearsals, performances and everyday life.
Building Confident Dancers from the Start